This chromist is easy to recognize and identify among all the phytoplankton, because of its three horns in a pitchfork arrangement.

Despite this, it is usually solitary, although during reproduction season, several individuals may congregate, all of their apical horns join.

This occurs when a cell divides, so that the daughter cells remain together, linked in short chains.

This particular species may sometimes be parasitized by other chromists or protists.

Tripos species were originally classified under the genus Ceratium, however they were reclassified to the new genus Neoceratium in 2009 following a ribosomal RNA sequencing study.